Stress Management for Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

Stress management therapy for multiple sclerosis (SMT-MS) is a manualized, validated, published stress management program designed for patients with MS. Participants met with a therapist for 16 individual 50-minute sessions conducted over 20-24 weeks. The first 6 sessions focused on teaching problem solving skills, relaxation, increasing positive activities, cognitive restructuring, and enhancement of social support. Participants were able to tailor the treatment to meet their needs using optional treatment modules including communication and assertiveness training, fatigue management, anxiety reduction, pain management, management of cognitive problems, insomnia treatment, and management of sexual dysfunction.

Wait List Control provided treatment as usual for the first 10+ months of participation. A 5-hour workshop was provided after the 10th month. This allowed at least 2 post-treatment MRI evaluation that were not contaminated by the workshop.